Date: 4.20 – 2025
Time:
Start: 3:20 PM
Marijuana lighting ceremony: 4:20 PM
Location: Marischal College
Broad St
Aberdeen AB10 1LP
Following the event, participants will march
peacefully along Union Street towards Beach Boulevard via Union Terrace and Belmont Street Plaza.
I am writing as an individual citizen, Mariusz ‘Cybuch’ Ropel, to inform you about a planned peaceful assembly in
Aberdeen on April 20th, 2025. This event is being organized by local activists and cannabis enthusiasts to raise
awareness about the rights of cannabis users, advocate for harm reduction policies, generate support for local
businesses, and promote a family-friendly atmosphere throughout the city center.
Peaceful protest against police brutality: We condemn any form of excessive force used by law
enforcement againstcitizens, including those involved in cannabis-related activities.
Promotion of harm reduction policies: We advocate for policies that prioritize public health and safety over
punitive measures, such as the regulation of cannabis products and increased access to drug treatment services.
Support for local businesses: We encourage attendees to patronize nearby shops and establishments before
or after the event, fostering a positive economic impact on the local community.
Educational opportunity: This event provides an occasion for parents to discuss the issue of drugs with
their children in an open and honest manner.
Family-friendly atmosphere: We are committed to ensuring that promotional materials and messaging
remain respectful and appropriate for Aberdonians of all ages.
An individual’s right to freedom of expression and assembly are protected by articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is enshrined in UK law. Together, the articles safeguard the right to peaceful protest. However, these rights are not absolute, and the state can implement laws that restrict the right to protest to maintain public order or protect the rights and freedoms of others.
In the UK, several pieces of legislation provide a framework for the policing of protests. The Public Order Act 1986 provides the police with powers to place conditions on protests. These powers were strengthened by part 3 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The Public Order Act 2023 established several criminal offences in relation to protest. The new offences include causing serious disruption by locking on, being equipped to lock on, causing serious disruption by tunnelling, obstructing major transport works, and interfering with key national infrastructure.
What Are Human Rights?
‘Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.
Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.’
Human Rights Act 1998
1998 CHAPTER 42
An Act to give further effect to rights and freedoms guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights; to make provision with respect to holders of certain judicial offices who become judges of the European Court of Human Rights; and for connected purposes.
[9th November 1998]
European Convention on Human Rights
Guide to Activism, Scottish Law and the Police
Civil disobedience is the active and professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders, or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called “civil”. Hence, civil disobedience is sometimes equated with peaceful protests or nonviolent resistance.